Making Waves: From Dubai To Keeneland

[Wandering Eyes]

In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Choisya in the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland.

Queen Of Keeneland

Rabbah Bloodstock homebred Choisya (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Cape Verdi and G2 Balanchine at Meydan this winter, took her show on the road and ran out a half-length winner of the GI Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on April 12 (video). She is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford.

Also a winner at listed level in Britain, the chestnut is out of Fragrancy (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}), who was placed in the Listed Severals Stakes as a 4-year-old. Choisya is the 10th of 12 foals for her dam and one of four black-type horses. The Jenny Wiley winner's half-siblings include listed winner and G3 Sceptre Stakes third Pelerin (Ire) (Shamardal) and fillies by Earthlight (Ire) foaled in 2022 and 2024. The extended family features dual top-level winner Hibaayeb (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and her daughter Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac.

Darley's Night Of Thunder has sired 12 winners from 20 runners in the U.S. (60%). Choisya is his best to date there, and he also has three additional graded winners and a listed winner to his credit, all fillies. He stands for €150,000 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland this year.

 

Successful raid!

The British trained CHOISYA took the G1 Jenny Wiley @keenelandracing for @gainsboroughHQ!

pic.twitter.com/ACBMcrwUYl

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) April 13, 2025

 

Blue Point Filly Blitzes Rivals In Florida

Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods-owned Make Haste (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) won her second American start by 4 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream for Christophe Clement on April 13 (video).

Bred by Sheraton Bloodstock, the bay was a 40,000gns weanling acquisition by Ballymaw Bloodstock from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale before catching the eye of Byron Rogers, Diego Dias and Star Bloodstock as a 75,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling. The filly was a winner for Dias and owners Simon Chappell, Mrs. A. Frost and M Eves at Naas on debut, and LNJ Foxwoods and Gainesway had bought into the filly prior to her start in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last June. She was second in the Listed Marwell Stakes back at Naas for that ownership group in July and switched to the U.S. after five starts. The fourth winner from five to race out of the winner Quick March (GB) (Lawman {Fr}), Make Haste is a granddaughter of listed winner and dual Group 3-placed Strut (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Her dam has a 2-year-old colt by Harry Angel (Ire). G3 Prix Chloe heroine Araminta (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) is out of G3 Bengough Stakes victress Mince (GB) (Medicean {GB}), herself a half-sister to Quick March.

Priced at €100,000 at Kildangan Stud in Ireland this year, Darley's Blue Point has 50% winners from runners (7/14). His trio of stakes winners are led by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victor Big Evs (Ire).

 

Make Haste and @zayas_edgardo impressively score in race 8, Sunday's featured race at #GulfstreamPark. pic.twitter.com/grA0cG0e9d

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) April 13, 2025

 

'TDN Rising Star' For Pinatubo

Pinatubo (Ire) filly Al Jafara (GB) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' in her third start and American debut at Keeneland for Chad Brown on April 12 (video). She now races in the colours of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn.

Bred by V. I. Araci, the 3-year-old filly was a 15,000gns Book 2 yearling out of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale to Shanaville Stables, and brought €37,000 at the Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale when selling to KGS. After a fourth for Mansour Aguel and trainer Hedi Ghabri at Chantilly, she won at second asking at that venue over 1800 metres in September. Sold for €250,000 at Arqana's Arc Sale to Oceanic Bloodstock, she was exported Stateside for these connections. Out of the placed mare Predawn (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), herself a full-sister to G1 Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) and four-time group-placed Shogun (Ire), the filly is her third foal and second winner. Predawn has a 2-year-old colt by Too Darn Hot (GB) and a yearling filly by Oasis Dream (GB). This is the same clan as G1 St. Leger winner Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Flute (Seattle Slew).

Another Darley representative, Pinatubo (Ire) has an 40% strike rate in the U.S. with two winners from five to race, including the GIII With Anticipation Stakes third Cavallo Bay (GB). His 2025 fee is £30,000 at Dalham Hall Stud.

 

Al Jafara wins her U.S. debut in R8 at Keeneland under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown!

TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/eeCgJrEC2K

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) April 12, 2025

 

 Lope De Vega Game At Keeneland

Farfellow Farms' Expensive Queen (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) made her U.S. bow a winning run, clawing out a neck victory at Keeneland for trainer Brendan Walsh on April 18 (video).

Bred by Fermoir, Ltd., the 4-year-old filly was purchased out of the Arqana August Yearling Sale for €260,000 by Rabbah Bloodstock. She broke her maiden at Haydock for Kevin Ryan and Jabber Abdullah in July of 2023, and, after five starts, made a pair of starts for James Tate before being sold and traveling to the U.S. A full-sister to G3 Prestige Stakes and G3 Princess Royal Stakes heroine Antonia De Vega (Ire) and the stakes-placed Luckin Brew (Ire), the filly is out of the multiple stakes-placed Witches Brew (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). The dam has a pair of full-siblings to Expensive Queen–a juvenile colt and a yearling filly–yet to race. She is kin to G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead).

Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega now has 46 winners from 86 runners (53%) in the U.S. His 11 U.S. stakes winners include four Grade I winners–Carl Spackler (Ire), Program Trading (GB), Newspaperofrecord (Ire) and Aunt Pearl (Ire). He stands for €175,000 in 2025.

 

(6) Expensive Queen (IRE) rallies up in time to win the night cap, bringing Luis Saez his third win on today's card! (2) Mystifying finishes second and (10) Alimara (FR) is third. pic.twitter.com/K3ZwVSBdLu

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 18, 2025

 

Third Time's The Charm For Dublin's Knight

Second in his first two starts at Gulfstream for Wells Watson and trainer Brendan Walsh, Dublin's Knight (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) got the job done switched to Keeneland on April 13 (video).

The Rosemont Stud-bred chestnut was picked up by Grove Stud for €180,000 out of the Goffs November Foal Sale in 2022, and was snapped up by Watson for €235,000 at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale in 2023. Placed in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, Good Place (Street Cry {Ire}) has foaled seven offspring so far, of which Dublin's Knight is her fourth winner. Her latest is a filly by Starspangledbanner (Aus). The winner's female family traces to third dam Canny Lass (Aus) (Bletchingly {Aus}), a winner of the G1 Marlboro Cup, G1 Elders Mile, and G1 William Reid Stakes among others.

Dublin's Knight is the only colt to win in America for his sire, so far from three runners.

 

(9) Dublin's Knight (IRE) storms to the finish in race 3 for @iradortiz! (11) World Beater and (10) Salamis follow. pic.twitter.com/RJ7OnAdCLD

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) April 13, 2025

 

 Mehmas Filly Finds Minimum Trip To Her Liking

Brendan Walsh saddled Miso Spicy (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) to a 4 1/2-length tally at Gulfstream Park on April 12 (video). Bred by Haras d'Haspel, the bay is raced by Bridlewood Farm, e Five Racing Throughbreds and Michael Dubb.

The €70,000 Arqana October yearling was purchased by Mandore International Agency and was making her fourth start. Miso Spicy is the third foal and first winner for Exceed And Excel (Aus)'s Karishma (Ire). Second dam Karasiyra (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) won the Listed Lenebane Stakes and was placed in the G3 Noblesse Stakes, while her half-sister Kirinda (Ire) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) was second in the G3 Kilboy Estate Stakes.

Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas, priced at €70,000 this year, is responsible for 18 winners from 32 runners (56%) in the U.S. His seven American stakes winners (22%) are anchored by top-flight winners Going Global (Ire), Chez Pierre (Fr), and Magnum Force (Ire).

 

Miso Spicy (FR) and @zayas_edgardo romp in race 4 at #GulfstreamPark! pic.twitter.com/GGylMTKJbr

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) April 12, 2025

 

Bungle Colt Strikes At Gulfstream

Trainer George Weaver's Insubordination (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) won his third career start at Gulfstream Park on April 12 (video). A silkbearer for Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing, the 3-year-old was bred by Patrick Thompson.

Placed in two Saratoga starts last August, the son of the two-time winner Chabelita (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) was originally an €11,000 buy at the Goffs November Foal Sale by Q-Cross Stables. Sent back through the Goffs ring during Book 2 of the Orby Yearling Sale in 2023, he made €62,000 when selected by Legion Bloodstock. Out of a half-sister to multiple stakes winner In Front (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and G3 Prix Noailles second More Than A Dream (Ire) (Halling), he is followed by a 2-year-old colt by Galileo Gold (GB).

Bungle Inthejungle has sired seven winners from 10 to race in America (70%). Manhattan Jungle (Ire) won the Listed Sweet Life Stakes. The 15-year-old stands for €7,500 at Rathasker Stud this term.

 

Repeat Winners

Multiple Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) returned to this column with a 4 1/4-length victory in the GI Maker's Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Chad Brown on April 11 (video).

Listed winner No Nay Hudson (Ire) (No Nay Never) also returned to Making Waves with a half-length tally at Keeneland on April 18 (video). He is raced by Andrew Farm and For The People Racing Stable and trained by Wesley Ward.

 

Pure class! Carl Spackler is back with a dominant win in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at @keenelandracing! pic.twitter.com/5Mvbj4IKm0

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 11, 2025

The post Making Waves: From Dubai To Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article